


Demons

by moonlight_petal



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon-Typical Violence, Children In Danger, Dark, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fire, Flashbacks, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jack is having a bad day, Jack's spidey senses, Mac is confused, Mac's an oblivious pup, Memories, Mission Fic, Nothing is ever easy for them, PTSD, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 00:54:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17694488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlight_petal/pseuds/moonlight_petal
Summary: Everybody has their demons. Things they did. Things they didn't. Things they want to forget but can't. These demons will come out when you least expect them to and fighting them can cost even the strongest person. Even if that person is Jack Dalton.





	Demons

**Author's Note:**

> This... took a slightly darker and angstier turn than I intended, to be honest. The ground premise of the story is based on a nightmare I had a couple of weeks ago and meant to include in a story since then because I thought it would fit the fandom. That it became what it is now, well... that could be because I'm a bad person at heart or it could be triggered by the events of the latest episode, I don't know which one rings more true in this case. Anyway, I hope you like it and you see that I tried to balance the angst out with a bit of humour. Also, not entirely sure about the ending, it seemed funny to me when I wrote it.  
> Please enjoy and I'd be happy to see what you think of this.  
> Other than that, I'll see you again tomorrow for the next chapter of 'Stone Cold Crazy'.

** Demons **

 

 

**Phoenix Foundation Headquarter**

**Somewhere in LA**

"This is Everett Grant!" Matty said, pulling up a picture on the screen wall, looking at her team.

 

"Everett Grant? The guy from TV?" Jack asked, looking at the picture with raised eyebrows and then back to his boss.

 

"The very same, Jack. However, before Grant became a TV personality and spokesperson for green energy, he actually worked in the industry, building up one of the biggest companies supporting the development of green energy, Evergreen Enterprises." Matty continued her briefing.

 

"Yeah I read quite a lot about him when he first appeared on TV on a more regular basis..." Mac said, looking up from the paper clip he was re-working. "... he's an interesting guy and he really knows what he's talking about, which is kind of rare on TV these days. He brought up some really innovative ideas but also adressed a lot of very uncomfortable facts about the current energy situation. I believe he also made a lot of enemies when he publicly called out a couple of politicians and accused them of profiting from supporting companies whose dealings are pretty deep in the grey area borderlining on illegal or something? Don't remember the exact details now." he frowned at that since he usually was pretty good with details but they had a lot going on the past few weeks.

 

"That's right as well, Mac. Grant presented a lot of facts about how employees get mistreated and threatened, about resources getting exploited and consequently damaging them lastingly. And all that not only allowed but supported by a handful of the big dogs in politics. Not many dared to follow up on his accusations, trying to check the truth and those who did were quickly shut up by a slew of lawyers. The seed of distrust has been planted with the public anyway, making Grant a prime target like you already said." Matty added seriously.

 

"No shit, barking up the wrong tree like that gets you on the hit list quickly." Jack nodded grimly.

 

"Aside from all this, Everett Grant is also a vocal supporter of various social groups, help organisations and had been an open and popular advocate for the same-sex marriage legalisation and he's currently funding a couple of youth centers all over the US who specialise in supporting kids in the LGBTQ+ community. He has a lot of fans as well it seems." Riley said after quickly running a check on the man in question.

 

"Damn, I honestly haven't heard a lot about this guy but I'm liking him already, this list of organisations he supports is impressive, plus he's an registered foster parent." Bozer added, looking over Riley's shoulder, reading the extra information.

 

"Alright, so he is an impressive guy with money, a conscience *and* a good heart, it's a rare combination. So where do we come in here? What's the case?" Jack wanted to know after taking in all the information the others shared and what he knew about the guy already.

 

"I'm coming to that now. As Riley and Bozer just mentioned, Grant is a part of a lot of organisations. He himself grew up in the system for a good part of his childhood before apparently one of his teachers saw some potential in him and got him in contact with a retired professor who took him under his wing and officially adopted him a year later. Grant always credits him as the inspiration for everything he does. In correlation to his own experience, he is involved with the child protection services. Being a registered foster parent is just one part of it, he also supports a lot of orphanages. That's where we come in specifically. On Friday Everett Grant will officially open a new orphanage with a connected building for supervised living for teenagers from difficult family circumstances. Yet another endeavor fully funded by him and his company. That event will include a big open gala for basically everyone interested at the building itself. Grant has a personal security guard but that's about the extend of security personnel he wants to involve in the whole thing. He refuses to involve private security or the police and some people in high places are getting anxious about that, especially with the enemies he made before and is still collecting practically everyday with everything he does." Matty explains the heart of the matter further.

 

"Alright, I get it, now they came to us to provide undercover security, yeah?" Mac asked.

 

"Got it in one, blondie. You four will go to the opening and the gala and keep an eye out for anything suspicious. I'll run surveillance as best as I can from here with Jill's help. Chances are that nothing will happen, but if someone is morally deranged enough to attack this event, Grant will need more than the one bodyguard." the Director agreed, pulling up several more files.

 

"These are the official plans of the building, familiarize yourself with them. There will be children there, a lot of them, make plans accordingly. If something happens, they are to be kept safe, understood?"

 

The four members of her team nodded, already scanning the plans, mentally noting down emergency exits, underground rooms, the placement of fire escapes and so on. Riley also downloaded the information to all their mobile phones if need be on location.

 

~*~

 

**'Little Heaven' Orphanage and Youth House**

**Outskirts of LA**

 

"Honestly, I'd prefer wearing tac gear right now to this, something doesn't feel right..."  Jack grumbled as he stepped out of his car, fiddling with the collar of his dress shirt and then the cuffs of his suit jacket.

 

Mac stepped out of the passenger door, doing the very same thing to his own clothes before stopping Jack in his tracks with his hand, rearranging his shirt collar which had been crooked under Jack's suit.

They had to wait a little anyway for Riley and Bozer to arrive, who had made a detour to the Phoenix to get some last minute stuff for Riley and their comms.

 

"Relax Jack, you'll see, it's going to be fine. You just wear these formal clothes so infrequently nowadays that they make you feel on edge. You should go out more often, you do look quite handsome in them after all." Mac said, a slight smirk on his lips, as he looked up at Jack.

 

Jack snorted at that.

"Yeah, pot meet kettle and all that jazz, right? No, but really, I appreciate your attempt at relaxing me here, kid, but leave the flirting to me, yeah?" he grinned, playfully punching Mac's arm. "But all kidding aside, it's not just the Sunday clothes, Mac, it's this event, something feels off. I can't point my finger at it but I'll be indefinitely happy when I'm back home tonight and have a beer in my hand after this shebang is over without us having to work after all. I'm not saying that something *will* happen, it's just that I have this feeling and I've never been wrong before." the older agent murmured softly.

 

Mac meant to punch Jack back, keep the teasing going a little longer but when his partner continued, studying the partly new and partly renovated building with a serious look, Mac turned his eyes on the building as well, a slightly cold shiver running down his spine because Jack was right, as much as he always laughed at his so-called Spidey-senses, these feelings had rarely led them astray before.

"You'll be home before you know it, Jack. Whatever happens here today, we'll work it out. I trust your instincts, you know that. We just keep our eyes and ears open."

 

Jack looked at his blond partner thoughtfully, nodded and then turned his attention to Bozer and Riley's approach with a wide smile.

"Look at these pretty young things. Riles, didn't I tell you years ago already what a beautiful young woman you will become? Now look who was right!" he grinned, complimenting the hacker's pretty appearance in her dark dress.

 

Riley however wasn't very impressed by that greeting.

"Thanks, old man. You clean up surprisingly well too!"

 

"Geez, what's with him? He's unnaturally chipper today..." Bozer whispered to his best friend, handing him his ear piece for a comm check before they entered the festivities.

 

"That's Jack, trying to convince you two that nothing is wrong..." Mac gave Bozer a significant look. "Keep your eyes open and try to stay together, alright?"

 

Bozer looked from his friend to Jack, who was still talking to Riley, and to Mac again.

"Alright Mac, whatever you say. This isn't going to be an easy security gig, is it?"

 

"We won't know until we know, Boze. Let's go and hope for the best!" with that he put in his ear piece, immediately checking in with Matty back at HQ and confirming that the tech worked on his end.

 

**

 

They made their rounds of the big hall where Everett Grant was holding his little speech about the project and how it came to be.

 

"You have to hand it to him, he is a pretty engaging speaker, I think every single person in this room was hanging on his lips." Bozer noted, watching the room from his post at the door.

 

"That's not necessarily a good thing, it's a skill some people quickly tend to utilize for bad purposes. Not that I really see a danger of that happening here. I do appreciate that he seems to value quality above quantity in regards to speech length, however." Jack replied silently, carefully checking the outside view from the window.

 

"Alright, now that the official part is done, we should get a better look at the on-location lay of the land. Go and mingle, you guys. Check the building over." came Matty's order over all their comms.

 

They swiftly confirmed that order and left the main hall.

Mac quickly caught up with Jack, silently motioning him to put his comm set on silent.

 

"So? How's the feeling?" he asked quietly, observing Jack's behaviour carefully. The older didn't look at Mac directly, keeping his eyes on Grant who just got swarmed by a bunch of kids, now that the inhabitants of the orphanage had been allowed to enter the hall as well. Only a raised eyebrow betrayed a trace of annoyance at Mac's question.

 

"You better not be making fun of me now, bud. It's really not the right time!" Jack gave back.

 

Mac sighed, gently putting his hand on Jack's shoulder, prompting him to actually look at him.

"Jack, you know me better than that. I told you before, I trust your instincts and I meant it. If you feel like something is off, even if it is the smallest sense of foreboding, I appreciate you telling me and we act accordingly. God knows, the records do support you. So, again, how's the feeling?"

 

"Nothing's changed, something about this whole set-up is giving me the heebie-jeebies. And I honestly would feel so much better if I could pinpoint it, but I can't. That nothing happened during the speech probably should be a good sign but I'm not feeling it, Mac." Jack replied, frustration evident in his voice.

 

The blond nodded slightly, holding Jack's gaze directly.

"Alright, I can work with that. We have no idea what we might be dealing with, if at all, so let's put our heads together while checking the rest of the place out." he said, squeezing Jack's shoulder once again before he turned his comm back on.

 

"...xt guy who is propositioning me gets a well aimed heel into the crown jewels." was the tail end of Riley's pissed rant they heard over the speaker.

 

Mac and Jack exchanged a perplexed look.

"Sorry, Riles, I didn't catch that, could you repeat that again?" Jack asked and if they weren't on the job right now, Mac would tease Jack mercilessly for the sudden appearance of 'overprotective dad Jack' in that moment.

 

"It seems not everyone is here for the good cause, Riley just got asked by the third guy if she would consider 'adopting together'?" Bozer chuckled in response.

 

"Seriously, that's wrong on so many levels, you okay Riley?" Jack asked concerned and Mac was actually glad for the distraction for his friend, maybe it would help to relax him a little.

 

"Yeah I'm fine, just really done with these people already... so if someone screams in pain soon, it's probably one of them..." Riley replied.

 

"Alright, I second what Jack said, that seriously is wrong on basically every level of common sense but as well as I can undesrtand you, Riley, please refrain from kicking anyone in the balls if it's not absolutely necessary. We don't want to attract attention to us..." Matty's voice sounded over the comms. "In fact, Bozer please join Riley, that should keep potential 'suitors' at bay."

 

"Sure, I can do that, but really, I think it would be even more effective if Jack joins her, with the way he's currently glaring..." Bozer replied, eyes on Jack over the expanse of the room, amusement in his voice.

 

"Do whatever you want but get on with it..." their boss sounded exasperated.

 

Mac glanced questioningly at Jack, silently asking if he was alright. With an affirmative nod, Jack did just what Bozer had suggested and went to Riley's side, staying close by without actually touching here, making clear that they 'belonged together'.

 

Mac followed them for a moment with his eyes before he turned to check out the orphanage part of the building, stopping short before he ran into a smirking teenage girl. If Mac had to hazard a guess, he would put her at about 16 or 17.

 

"Your man playing hard to get?" she asked, a little teasing edge to her tone of voice, nodding with her head in Jack's direction.

 

Surprised and confused, Mac looked at her, followed her gaze and turned back to her again. Jack who obviously had heard her over the comm had chosen that moment to look back at Mac as well while Bozer and Riley were sniggering.

 

"Err... he's not, no. My man, I mean, consequently no 'playing hard to get' involved either. Just friends and colleagues... and why am I even defending myself?" Mac said, stopping himself with a head shake.

 

The girl laughed.

"Whatever you say, pal. But don't feel bad about it, happens to me all the time, it's like my secret super power or something..." she held out a hand. "I'm Steff by the way... you here out of curiousity and the food, or are you looking for something specific?"

 

"Mac, nice to meet you, Steff. And actually, you caught me, although I haven't even had time to try the food yet. Do you live here or are you here for the food, too?" the blond asked conversationally. Might as well gather some information about the place.

 

"Nah, the food is good, mind you... most of it we made ourselves, but I actually do live here, lucky me." she replied, starting towards the buffet.

 

"How come? If you don't mind me asking, that is..."

 

"No worries... it started with one of Ev's, I mean Mr Grant's youth centers, I went there after school early on, volunteered there later on as well. The staff there is awesome and he comes by as often as possible himself too. They noticed of course that I spent all my time there, practically only going home to sleep or when I absolutely 'had' to... I had a good reason too... Mr Grant helped me out and now I live here, in the supervised living unit and after school and homework, I help out at the orphanage, looking after and playing with the kids, earning some pocket money, it's an awesome deal if you ask me." she explained, grabbing a pizza roll of the buffet table.

 

Mac nodded, impressed.

"It certainly sounds like it. And all this is paid by Mr Grant?"

 

"Yep, housing and living expenses are funded by him and if we want something outside of that we have to earn it, just like every other kid. He's a really great and generous guy. His only condition is that we do our best at school and stay out of trouble."

 

"Man, I'm liking this guy more and more..." Bozer murmured in Mac's ear, as the blond thoughtfully chewed on a pizza roll of his own.

 

"Alright, that makes me curious, what happens if you break that condition?" he asked and he could feel the curiosity of his team as well, as if they were standing close by.

 

"Mmh... you know? I actually don't really know, as long as I live here, I never heard of someone getting in trouble, to be honest. The kids here usually know that they got a pretty good deal and do their best keeping it that way. Of course doing your best in school not always translates into good or even passing grades, if that happens there's mandatory lessons after school to help, other than that..." she hummed thinking. "There was a story, apparently before I moved in, at the old house, there was a guy who got into trouble with his school and the police for something or other. Apparently Mr Grant personally came by and had a talk with him about it, I heard Ev took him to one of his other organisations a couple of times, after that he didn't get into trouble anymore. Don't know what that is about or if it's even true though." she shrugged. "Don't really care either, I have no intention to break the condition, not if it possibly could mean having to return home again. Besides, I like the little ones."

 

"So what's that about? Sounds a little sketchy if you ask me..." Riley whispered.

 

"Not necessarily, Riley. We don't know what kind of trouble that kid got into, with the vast range of different organisations Grant supports, chances are that there is one that takes care of victims of whatever the kid did. Show him the aftermath of what he did, make him understand the extend of it all, I guess that could be a healthy slap with reality and incentive enough not to do it anymore." Matty said, thoughtfully. "It would also fit in the general way Grant works."

 

"Well Steff, I think that's a good plan, indeed!" Mac grinned. "Speaking of the little ones, I wanted to go there and check out the new building, care to show me around?" Mac asked with a friendly smile.

 

"Sure, follow me! Don't be fooled however, it's not normally as neat as it is right now. They are still moving in and they cleaned up for the occasion. By the way, since you are so adamant that the guy from before *isn't* your man, you might want to know that there is another one watching you, back by the door? Kinda cute too." the teenager whispered conspiratorially, as she slowly walked towards said door.

 

Mac looked at her, a little flustered, wondering what was up with the girl and her interest in what kind of relationship he had.

 

"Buddy, I think she might be trying to find out if you're available. And probably where your interests lie. In a rather strange way, true, but I think that's what's happening here. In case you're wondering." Jack murmured over the comm as if Mac had asked the question out loud.

 

For the fraction of a second Mac locked eyes with Jack, as they passed Riley and him.

 

"That's the one I meant, on the right..." Steff whispered lowly, as they got close to the door.

 

Mac looked up and promptly stopped and started laughing.

"Yeah no, Steff, sorry to disappoint again." he made a soft gesture to the person in question. "Steff, may I introduce you, that's Bozer, my best friend since childhood and, how should I put it, a bit of a watchdog when it comes to me at times. Bozer, this is Steff, she lives here and will show me around the orphanage part of the building, you want to accompany us?"

 

The two of them greeted each other, Steff a little embarrassed that she assumed wrong twice in such a short time and Bozer, even if only noticeable for the other three of his team, a little awkward that he had been so clumsy in his observation.

 

"Sure, that's where I wanted to go next anyway, I was merely waiting for you, bro!" Bozer grinned a moment later, downplaying the awkwardness.

 

**

 

"Alright, so Mac and Bozer finally get to work in the orphanage, could Riley and you go to the other side into the supervised living section now, Jack!" Matty asked and her team could hear the slightly strained tone that indicated that her patience was slowly running thin.

 

"You got it, boss..." Jack murmured, turning to Riley.

"Come on, let's go, stay close, yeah?"

 

The hacker nodded following Jack while pulling up the building plans on her mobile phone.

The supervised living section was built like an ordinary dorm building. Everyone had a private room and every floor had a small kitchen, a big shared bathroom and toilets. On the groundfloor were a big kitchen for group stuff, a living room with sofas, a TV, a pool table, darts and tabletop soccer. There were smaller rooms as well, a library, a PC station for those of the kids who don't have their own computers yet, spaces to do homework and other activities. Everything looked quite homey and the teenagers they met were all very friendly.

 

"Huh, this is nice, I think there seriously could be worse fates than living here." Jack said, impressed yet again but Riley frowned.

 

"Something doesn't add up, the plans we have, they do not match the actual floor plan." she said slowly.

 

"What do you mean, Riley." came Matty's stern voice over the comm system and Jack looked at the younger woman with the same question in his eyes.

 

"I mean that, for starters, the hallway we're in right now? It should end in a fire escape door, which it quite obviously doesn't." she said and Jack frowned as well, because they were looking at a pretty solid wall.

 

"Maybe the plans we have are an earlier version? These things change naturally during building at times." Jack said but the ominous feeling he had all day already, grew immediately.

 

"I doubt it, Jack. I wanted to say the same thing Riley just said as well. I noticed pretty big discrepancies between the building plans and what we're actually seeing, I just needed to get away from Steff, Bozer and the kids first, to check on something." Mac said. "Now that I have, I'll be the first to admit, this is yet another point for Jack's instincts, something is seriously fishy about this whole thing because the emergency route plans are based on exactly the same building plans we have. Not only are they different but as far as I have counted, there are not enough escape routes now, if any of them actually lead to safety at all, plus the smoke alarms that should be installed everywhere? I would be surprised if even half of them work." Mac said.

 

"But how can this be, before they clear a building like this, several checks must be passed. I doubt someone like Grant would risk this..." Riley said in response to that but Jack's thoughts went into a different direction.

 

"Mac, are you telling me that with the main entraces point blocked, say by a fire, not only are there next to no working alarms to warn the kids and the staff but they would be literally trapped inside?" the older agent looked at Riley, eyes widened.

 

And before Mac could answer to that, a different voice was heard over the comm system, Steff's voice who was still around Bozer.

"What's this smell?"

 

And with that simple sentence, all hell broke loose. Screams resounded from the hall, quickly followed by gunshots and then Jack heard the words he had hoped he wouldn't.

"Yes Jack, exactly like that and I'm afraid, we're experiencing that first hand right now. What's happening outside? I think I heard shots?"

 

"Yes Jack, what's happening? Riley? Status!" Matty snapped over the comms as well.

 

"Give me a sec, alright?" Jack replied, stopping just outside the hall, gathering himself and checking over his gun that had been hidden under his suit jacket while Riley carefully glanced inside the door.

 

"I can see smoke coming from the direction of the orphanage but that's no surprise. If I count correctly there are six hostiles in the hall, keeping the present people where they are and they are closing down the hall, one person down. I think that's Grant's bodyguard." the hacker relayed everthing she saw.

 

"The guys blocking the doors are working in twos, Riley, you remember the move I showed you a couple of weeks ago?" at her tentative nod, Jack continued. "Alright, I take out one and you the other. We have to be quick and after that you stay down, alright? If everything works the way I think is likely, the other guys blocking the other doors will come for us guns blazing, I'll try to take them out, you stay out of the cross fire, understood! One, two, three!" Jack counted down the approach of the intruders.

 

It worked even better than Jack had hoped because the reaction time of the other guys was delayed enough for Riley and him to pull the two outside and to relieve them of their guns while Riley made short work of tying them up with bits of their own gear. Just as Jack started the shoot out with the other guys, she snapped pictures of their faces and send them to Matty. It didn't take long for Jill and her to identify them. Small time guns-for-hire who obviously weren't all that long in the trade yet. Whoever sent them, didn't really know what they were doing apparently.

 

"What's the status?" she asked tensely.

 

Jack carefully entered the room, two guns pointed at the remaining two guys.

"Alright, how about you put those guns on the floor nice and slow or I'll introduce you to what's inside them like I did with your buddies here!" Jack called out.

 

With two guys missing and four literally gasping in pain, struggling to breathe, they released the hostages and followed Jack's orders.

"Riles, all good, you can come in and work your tie-up magic on them as well. How is he doing?" Jack's eyes met Everett Grant's who was crouching over his guard, applying pressure on the gunshot wound in his stomache.

 

"Not as good as I would hope, who are you?"

"My name's Jack Dalton and I really have not enough time to explain everthing to you right now. Matty, we need an ambulance here like yesterday."

 

"Already on it's way to you, ETA 3 minutes, together with the fire department. And please hand your mobile phone over to Mr Grant, I'll have to talk to him."

 

"Here, my boss wants to talk to you, I'll take over here!" Jack said, handing the older man his already flashing phone before kneeling down next to the bleeding bodyguard, pushing down significantly harder than Grant had done before.

"Sorry, I know that sucks but you'll thank me later, just stay with us, alright! My name's Jack and help is on the way."

 

The man smiled wanly, coughing painfully, sweat beading on his forehead.

"That was an impressive piece of work just now..." he said between wet, shuddery breaths.

"Well, I do what I can, hush now, concentrate on breathing and staying awake. Focus!" Jack said coughing himself from the smoke that's slowly gathering in the room as well.

"Mac, what's the situation on your side, we contained the trouble makers here, I'm sure you heard Matty on the ETA of the fire fighters."

 

"Ah Jack, that's good to hear, we're -so far- alright. We rounded up everyone around we hope but we might have a problem though, a big problem..." Mac said and he sounded out of breath himself.

 

"Oh man, I don't like the sound of that, bud, what's going on?!" Jack asked, silently directing Riley to the doors, not that he really had to tell her, she was already at work to remove the chains they had blocked the doors with, together with a couple of the guests who were starting to panic again, thanks to the smoke that was now filling the room.

 

"You see, this whole set-up? I think this runs deeper and further than we even expected, this whole construction is a sham. The upstairs windows are barred, downstairs can't be opened and we tried literally smashing them in with a chair, they wouldn't budge thanks to a triple layer of shatterproof glass, we can't get out and the fire is spreading a lot quicker than it's supposed to." the younger agent explained and Jack noticed the shaking in his voice, the small hint that told him that Mac had to fight hard to keep his wits together in the face of a difficult situation.

 

"Isn't there are fire sprinkling system?" Riley asked.

 

"There is but it doesn't work, either the pipes are leading nowhere at all or someone sabotaged the whole system. Which actually might be a blessing in disguise at the moment. The walls are burning extremely fast, it's like someone built in an accelerant which wouldn't really surprise me anymore, this whole house is built as a giant deathtrap. Riley, you need to tell that to the firefighters, if I'm right, they can't come in with ordnary water, that would make everything worse." Mac said.

 

Riley immediately sprinted off towards the emergency personnel that arrived and was running their way.

 

"Where are you, Mac! Talk to me! I'll see if I can find a way to you."

 

Jack left the wounded man to the EMTs and left the side of Grant who was still talking to Matty it seemed, pale and thoroughly shaken. His boss probably informed him about everything Mac just told them as well.

 

"We're in the back room, I closed down everything the best I can to keep out the smoke but the heat is quickly rising Jack, I'm pretty sure the fire is close already. We hope we have everyone who was around here... I hope... Bozer, Steff and two of staff who were there as well are trying to keep the kids calm but you can imagine how well that's going... and Jack... I have next to no supplies here that would be useful in our situation... I can't do anything to help..." Mac finished off, his voice getting softer at the end, an edge of fear audible.

 

Jack slowly walked towards the connecting hallway to the orphanage and the fire, the heat was indeed unbearable, the cries in the the background of Bozer and Mac's comms shrill and terrified.

 

_Scorching heat was painfully prickling on his face... dry desert air, saturated with the smell of smoke and gasoline... children screaming for help..._

Jack gasped, squeezing his eyes shut, shaking his head.

"No no no... not now..." he whispered, trying to focus on the problem at hand. Mac needed help... he needed... something, what was that again?

 

_Another piercing scream echoed over the plaza, sinister crackling and then an almost deafening bang when a part of the roof gave in, sending even more heat and sparks up in the air._

_"Dalton, stay back, there is nothing you can do! That's an order!" a commanding voice snapped from his left side._

_"Negative, sir, there are children in there, I can't stay here and watch them burn alive!" Jack yelled back, cautiously getting closer, rounding the building, looking for the best point of entry._

_"Dammit, Dalton, you'll only get yourself killed and what good will it do those kids then? Just think for a minute, think! You get them out now, with luck they are still alive but covered in third degree burns? They won't have a life even if you manage to get them out now... it's terrible, I know it is and I hate it just as much as you do, but I can't let you do this now, I can't lose you! Jack! Listen to me!" the voice demanded, much closer now, bodily holding Jack back now, effectively restraining his arms to his side, knowing exactly how the grab the young soldier to render him immobile._

_"No, no no no, we can't, listen sir, they're burning alive in there, please! Please you have to help them..." Jack dropped to his knees in the hot dirt, fighting a losing battle against his superior and the tears in his eyes._

"Mac... Matty... I... something is wrong, I think... Jack doesn't react at all and he's way to close to the flames now, what's going on?" Riley called out to the others, voice trembling at the sight in front of her.

 

"What do you mean, something is wrong with Jack? Riley, talk to me!" Mac called back but Matty interrupted them.

 

"No Mac, you focus on the problem at hand alright? The chief of the fire department just confirmed your assumption of the accelerant in the walls, with all the bad luck this building brought so far, you at least managed to choose the one room with solid brick walls, so that should slow it down a little and buy us enough time. Now the idea you had looks to be our only chance so we're doing it and they are already getting everything together, wait for the signal and try to find a way to shield everyone from the shards and debris, alright!" Matty ordered as calm as possible.

 

"Already done, at least the best as we can, just hurry up... damn, now I know how Jack always feels when he says that..."

 

Riley waited anxiously for Matty to finish her orders to Mac, keeping a close eye on Jack, ready to jump into action the moment the man tried to go even closer to the roaring fire. She knew better than to touch him when she didn't know exactly what was currently happening. It's a lesson he had drilled into her as a child already, when she had thought him to 'just' be a discharged soldier working in bathroom tiles then, to never wake him or startle him. From working with Mac and him for quite some time now, she had seen first hand the results of doing just that and it wasn't pretty.

 

"Matty... what's going on?" she asked again, when there was a moment of silence on the comm.

 

"Alright, he's not reacting to his direct comm either, can you tell me exactly what is happening?" the director asked and the worry in her voice did nothing to reassure the hacker.

 

"I told you, he's standing in the hallway right outside the connection to the orphanage, too close to the fire if you ask me, he must feel the heat, there is no way he doesn't but he doesn't move... at all... his hands are trembling and I think... I think he's talking to himself, can't be sure though, it's too loud in the hall and it's even too silent for the comms to pick up on... it looks like he's having some kind of argument with himself or something... Matty, what am I supposed to do?"

 

"Just a second, I have to check something, Riley, don't let him out of your sight but do not approach him yet unless he's endangering himself even more." the woman said and Riley could hear the frantic tapping of keys in the background. "Fucking hell!" the words were barely audible and spoken with downright shock that Riley's breath hitched. The fact that Matty Webber uttered a curse like that didn't bode well at all.

 

Before Matty could say any more, however, a loud explosion shook the building and almost as if in slow motion, Riley watched the man, who was the closest thing to a father to her, drop to his knees, an anguished scream on his lips, followed by a shuddering sob that shook Riley to the core.

 

At that moment she didn't care anymore, if she startled Jack so badly that he would punch her, she would take the blow gladly if it meant the man came back to reality. Quickly she pull on the older agent's shoulders, working hard to get at least a bit more space between him and the fire before she dropped in front of him and pulled him into a tight hug.

 

"He's having a flashback, Riley... a really bad one, stay with him, I'll be with you as soon as I can, we just have to make sure all the kids are safely outside." Mac told her softly, having connected the dots himself from listening to her description and his scream.

 

"Mac's right, it does seem like it and I think I know from what and it's really bad... as Mac said, stay with him, talk to him, it's the only way to pull him out of this..." Matty added, answering the unspoken question of the younger woman.

 

Gently Riley grabbed around Jack's head, shutting off his comm and her own, to focus solely on the man in front of her.

 

"Jack, listen to me, it's fine, it's alright, they are all out, they are all safe. Even the security guard is doing okay all things considered, thanks to you. Remember what you told be when I was a kid and had a really bad nightmare? It's not real, what ever it is you're seeing right now, it's not real, you have to remember that, alright? Come back to me, Jack, to us... don't get lost in your memories and nightmares, those are in the past, but you're here, and I'm here with you, and Mac and Bozer are fine, too. Just busy looking after the kids, okay? It's okay, come back..." she whispered, reminding him again and again that that he was okay and that it was alright to come back.

 

She knew she finally had him back, when Jack took in a shuddery breath and tightened his arms around Riley, silently crying into her hair.

"It's alright, it's over now... and everyone is fine, or as fine as they can be... we should get out of here, though. When you're ready, so the fire department can start their work, although I doubt there's much to save anymore..." Riley murmured soothingly, softly scratching through the short hair at the back of Jack's head.

 

When Jack finally let go of the hacker, his eyes were red-rimmed and distant, his entire appearance reflecting bone crushing exhaustion.

Riley helped Jack to his feet, biting down a groan as she took quite a bit of his weight and led him outside into the sun and fresh air. Jack's skin felt cold to the touch despite having sat so close to a fire, so she figured it would help him warm up some.

 

They dropped down in the grass on the edge of the chaos of children and guests getting checked out and interviewed and emergency personnel doing their respective jobs.

 

In the middle of it all Mac and Bozer suddenly appeared, looking around anxiously and Riley waved them over since Jack had his head in his hands, taking deep breaths to calm down and get himself together.

 

With a couple of long strides the young agents were with them, Bozer dropped next to Riley, one arm around her shoulders in support. He was shaken up by what happened himself but he could see that Riley needed the anchor just as much and Jack couldn't provide that for her at the moment.

 

Mac did the same thing on Jack's side, pulling him into a side embrace, a grounding hand on Jack's arm.

"Hey big guy, how are you doing? That was a bad one, huh?"

 

"Worse..." Jack replied, his voice hoarse and raw as if he had been screaming the whole time.

Slowly he looked up, meeting the concerned gazes of his young team mates one by one.

"I will be fine, though, promise!" he added after a moment reassuringly. And all things considered that reassurance alone told them that Jack was speaking the truth, the fact that he recognised and admitted that he wasn't fine in that moment, that he would need some time to get himself back together, was a good indicator.

 

"Of course you will, you are the strongest man we know, Jack!" Bozer said softly, confident in his statement. And he managed to draw a small smile from the older man.

 

"Thanks Boze!"

 

"You want to talk about it?" Mac asked gently, knowing from experience that talking about a flashback, working through them with someone who can relate can make all the difference.

 

"Not really a lot to tell that you weren't able to infer from what happened already, I suppose. I haven't thought about this for years now, I really thought I finally managed to lock that memory up for good. It happened early on, when I first entered the Army, the first time I went overseas. We were searching for someone who, according to our intel, was building bombs at his house. The intel was correct on that account, he must have heard us searching the neighbourhood and rushed his job and something went wrong. Something exploded and the house caught fire so quickly. His whole family was in there, his wife and four kids. I was able to hear them inside, their screams haunted me for a long time in my dreams. I wanted to at least try to get them out but my superior held me back, knowing full well that it was terrible but that we couldn't do anything to save them. They would die anyway, even if we managed to get them out of the burning building, there was no way they could survive the transport to anywhere even close to appropriate medical care. So we had to wait, watch and listen to the pained cries until the fire went out by itself. Even the locals knew better than to even try and I doubt that that was only because the man had been a terrorist living in their midst. They took care that the buildings close by didn't catch fire but they didn't try to put out the source, knowing that a relatively quick end in the flames would be the merciful choice. It took me a long time to come to terms with that, to finally accept that under the living circumstances over there, they might have been right but it went against everything I ever learned in life. And today, listening to the kids cry inside, trapped with no way out, the fire burning like that, I guess it was too much... sorry for not being of any help to you guys and I'm sorry for scaring you, Ri."

 

"Jesus..." Bozer whispered, pale after listening to that story. He couldn't even begin to imagine how it had been for Jack back then, couldn't begin to imagine to go on from that and still do the work he did. Jack really was the strongest man Bozer knew.

 

Riley didn't say anything, she just held Jack's gaze for a moment, squeezing his arm with a gentle smile before she leaned her head on his shoulder, telling him without words that it was alright and she was there.

 

"None of that, my friend! You did more than enough!" Mac said, gently tightening his embrace as well, offering silent support should Jack ever need it. It was an unspoken deal between them for a long while already.

 

**

 

"There they are, see that's Mac and that's Bozer... not sure who the other two are, other that they are 'just' friends apparently..." they heard Steff a couple of minutes later say, as she pulled a very pale and shaken Mr. Everett Grant over to them.

"He's cute, right Ev?" she whispered, still too loud if she didn't mean for them to hear, looking in Mac's direction. (It probably wasn't entirely her fault though, when the fire department shattered one of the windows with a localised explosion, she had been busy protecting the ears of one of the kids, so her own ears were probably still ringing, just like Mac and Bozer's did.)

 

"Steff, please, now is definitely not the right time!" Grant admonished the teenager softly, before he turned his attention to the four persons in front of them. The Phoenix agents had come back to their feet.

 

"Mr. Grant, I'm very sorry for what happened today." Mac started, but got silenced by the man himself, who smiled softly.

 

"No need, Mr..."

 

"MacGyver, but please call me Mac." the blond said quickly.

 

"Thank you, Mac. As I was saying, there's no need. In fact I have to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your help. I see now that my refusal to involve security was a gross miscalculation on my part. I don't want to imagine what would have happened today if you weren't present. Not to mention that we now have a very thorough investigation on our hands to find out how all this was even possible. I'm shocked that anyone could be ruthless enough to put children at risk just to get back at me. Your superior, Director Webber is it? She offered her help with that which I will gladly take given the situation. At this point I will have to tread very carefully even around my own people. Anyway, I can't thank you enough! Mr. Dalton, I believe, this is yours, I'm sorry about the stains, should this interfere with the usability, please let me know and I will gladly replace it for you as thanks for your trouble." he turned to Jack and handed him his mobile back, which Jack took with a small smile.

 

"Thank you, Mr. Grant, and don't worry about it, believe me when I say that my phone has seen worse fates than a couple of blood stains on the casing. Important for now is to find the people behind this attack and bringing them to justice!" Jack said and the three younger friends at his sides noted the firece tone in his voice with relieved smiles of their own because it told them like nothing else, that - even if not completely just yet- the old Jack was back again.

 

Bozer looked at the smoldering remains of what had been a new orphanage with a sad expression.

"What will happen now? These kids will need a place to stay now..."

 

Grant followed his look and nodded.

"And a place they will have. They were still in the process of moving in, so luckily the old orphanage is still free and equipped with everything they will need and what was lost here, we will replace. And then, when all this is over, I will start again... the idea of letting them live together with the older ones was a good one and I won't be stopped by this event. Cautioned yes, but never stopped!" he pulled Steff to his side with a friendly arm around her shoulders.

 

"That's right and if need be, I'll share my stuff with the little ones..." she smiled.

 

"That's generous, but I don't think that will be necessary, you could however go and see if you can help with distracting the children, they sure had a traumatic day today!" the man pointed at the group of kids and the two caregivers with them.

 

"Sure... bye Bozer, bye Mac, please come visit again some time, you two as well, you seem like okay people!" Steff waved goodbye, impressively chipper and calm considering the ordeal she had been through like everybody else.

 

The four agents looked after the teenager with varying degrees of smiles on their faces.

 

"Yeah, please excuse if she overstepped the line at some point, she's a really good girl, observant and always intent on helping. So much so that she misses the mark at times."

 

"I won't disagree with you on that, Mr. Grant, no apologies needed in this case either, however. If there is anything at all we can do for you now, please let us know, otherwise we will take our leave now and let the official authorities take it from here." Mac said, shaking Grant's hand.

 

"Thank you, Mac! Thank you all very much, once again. I'm sure we can take it from here and you deserve the break after this day."

 

~*~

 

**Phoenix Foundation HQ**

**Somewhere in LA**

It wasn't really until the group entered the Phoenix and caught their reflection in the glass wall of the war room that they realised how covered in soot and dirt, in Jack's case knees and up to his elbows drenched in blood, they were and exhausted physically and mentally.

 

Matty waited for them with a concerned expression on her face, Jill by her side, her make-up slightly smudged at the corners of her eyes, as if she had teared up at some point. (Since neither of them had their comm on anymore when Jack recounted his story, Riley assumed that Jill had seen at least part of what was in Jack's file about the incident. In any case, she could whole-heartedly understand the feeling. Would probably cry herself about it at some point when she was alone and able to think about it properly.)

 

"Guys, I'm glad you are back safely. Believe me when I tell you that I absolutely did not expect something like this to happen when I send you on this mission. I might have expected some trouble but not to this extent."

 

"We know you didn't, Matty. I'm sure nobody could have anticipated something like this. Whoever did this, planned it for a long time and he or they had a lot of help on various levels." Jack shook his head. Even with his finely honed instincts, he would never have expected this turn of events.

 

"Do we already know anything new? What about those guns-for-hire?" Mac asked, taking apart a paperclip again.

 

"Not really, a couple of leads but we will have to thoroughly investigate Grants whole operation, all his books, all his connections, his whole team and everyone involved with this building before we finally can point the finger to anyone specific. As for those wannabe terrorists or whatever they claimed to be, I don't think we will get any information out of them. Preliminary questioning by the police showed that they literally had no real idea what they were doing, much less who was the target personally nor who hired them. The only thing we were able to confirm now, that before they stormed the hall and shot Grant's bodyguard, they laid the fire. They even had very detailed instructions as to how and where in their bag, complete with the stuff needed." Matty informed them with a shake of her head.

 

"So this will take a while..." Riley said.

 

"Yes, Riley, this will take a while and it will go deep. I have a feeling by the time we're through, we'll have blown a big hole into local politics and the rich and mighty of LA. But it will also not concern you much, I will inform you if you want but this will be the work for our analysts team. Jill, I expect you to lead a team of your choosing on this."

 

The blond woman nodded, immediately turning to her tablet, presumably going through the files of her colleagues to decide who she wants on her team.

 

"Yeah, I really would like to keep updated on this even if I won't get my hands on the dirtbags who didn't stop at throwing children under the bus just to make a point." Jack growled.

 

Matty smirked and it looked downright menacing.

"Don't worry, Jack, by the time I'm done with them, they will wish that you had gotten your hands on them first, I promise you that!"

 

"Alright, I better don't think too deeply about this now or I will have even worse nightmares of this day. Can we go home now, though? I really would appreciate a shower." Bozer said, making his friends chuckle with that.

 

"You are officially dismissed, Bozer. Go home and relax, you earned it. All of you. Jack, I'd like a quick word with you if that's alright."

 

The older agent nodded and stayed back while Mac, Bozer, Riley and Jill left the war room, waiting outside as the door closed and the window frosting powered up.

 

They didn't have to wait for too long before Jack returned to them, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Mac bumped his shoulder against him.

"You alright?"

"Will be, buddy, will be..." he replied, trailing the fingertips over the card Matty had handed him. An opening, a possibility, should he decide to actually reach out for some help on this matter. He wasn't entirely sure about that, but he appreciated the thought, knowing that Matty had his back.

 

~*~

 

**MacGyver/Bozer residence**

**Los Angeles**

After splitting up for their respective homes to take long and thorough showers and change into decidedly more comfortable clothes, the little family of choice had gathered in Mac and Bozer's living room. Beer and pizza on the table, they had a little argument about the movie choice of the evening. In the end, the three younger ones had silently decided that Jack had the most difficult day of all of them that day, so they left the decision to him, already resigning themselves to whatever of the Bruce Willis filmography would strike Jack's fancy that evening.

 

For a split second, Jack wished he could have taken a picture of his friends when he told them his decision because these gobsmacked faces on all three of them were a rare and funny sight.

 

Half an hour later he lounged on the sofa he shared with Mac while Bozer and Riley shared the love seat, a beer in one hand and a piece of pizza in the other, softly humming 'I have a dream' under his breath together with Rapunzel and the guys in the pub.

 

"You know, now that I see that grandpa pretending to be Cupid, that reminds me, what I've been wondering, what was Steff's deal? Was she interested in Mac herself or what..." Bozer asked into the comfortable silence in the room, sending Jack into a coughing fit from swallowing the wrong way.

 

"Actually, that kind of confused me too..." Mac admitted, even if he knew that his best friend was mostly having fun on his expense.

 

"At first I thought she did but I think she had a very different plan..." Jack smirked when he had his breathing back under control.

 

"Go on..." Bozer prompted, curious now.

 

"I think she tried playing match maker between Mac and Grant..." Riley said, grinning brightly, catching Jack's smirk.

 

"What?" Mac yelped. "No..." he protested.

 

Bozer, however, looked thoughtful for a moment and nodded then.

"Yeah, yeah alright, makes sense, I can see that... anyway, she thought I'm cute, with everything that happened today, that's good news at least!" he grinned, sending Jack and Riley into yet another fit of giggles that almost drowned out Mac's repeated and incredulous "What?".


End file.
